Improvement in endless-chain water-wheels



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Letters Patent No. 96,629, lated November 9, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN ENDLESS-CHAIN WATER-WHEELS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part cf the same To all whom it may con-cern.:

Be it known that I, H. S. STEWART, of Yreka, in the county oi Siskiyou, and State of California, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Endless- Chain Tater-Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the constructed that it maybe taken apart and trans?l ported from place to place, as required; and

It consists in the construction and combination of the various parts of the wheel, as hereinafter more fully described.

A. represents the frame-work, by which the wheel is. supported.

B are the buckets, to the rea-r sides of which, near their ends, are attached links O, which links are pivoted at their ends to intermediate links D, so that the lnicketsmay'T be attached to the alternate links of endless chains. L

The length of the links C D, and the dept-h of the buckets B, are so regulated, that as the buckets pass into vertical positions, the bottom of each bucket may enter the mouth of the preceding bucket, thus economizingspac'e, and preventing the swash of the water.

To enable this to bc done, the links C, to which the buckets B are attached, are made with a rise or projection of such a height as to carry the lower partsoutward a little more than the thickness of the inner side of said buckets, as shown in the drawing.

.E and F are the shafts, to which the wheels or pulleys G are attached, around which the endless chains pass, to which the buckets are attached.

The wheels G are -niade polygonal in form, each face being of the samelength as the links C D of the chains.

The pulleys G are provided 'with teeth or spurs, against which shoulders or stops, formed upon the links, strike, so that thel endless, chain of buckets may carry the said wheels and shafts with them in their revolution.

The upper shaft E revolves in stationary bearings, attached to the upper part of the frame'A, and the lower shaft I" revolves in movable bearings, placed in a slot in the lower part of said frame-work A, and which bearings are provided `with screws by means of which thel position of said bearings may be adjusted to regulate the tautness of the endless chains of buckets.

H is the drive-pulley, from which the mot-ion is communicated `to the machinery to be driven, and which is attached to the end of the shaft E.

rlhe water is conducted into the buckets B in the ordinary manner, and the wheel may be used as an over-shot or breast-wheel, as may be desired.

'lf desired, the chains C D may hereplaced by cables or other flexible connections that will allow the buckets to pass around the pulleys G and shafts E F, and carry said shafts and pulleys with theln inl their movements. v

This construction causes it to occupy less space than wheels constructedin the ordinary manner, and also enables it to be conveniently taken apart and transported from place to place, or packed 7 into lnountainous districts, where other wheels could not be taken.

It should be observed that a water-wheel thus construct-ed canA be used with the -greatest advantage where a high-head of water is attainable.

Having .thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentg 1. ,A chain for power waterwl1eels, composed of as shown and described. f

2. The chain, composed of links C D, in combination with polygon-shaped shafts F G, each side of said polygons corresponding in width to the length ofone of said links, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The arrangement of the buckets B upon the inclined faces of the links C, ill the manner set forth, so that when thc links C D are aligned, one bucket will be within another, as described. l

The above specification of my'nvention, signed by me, this 18th day,of J une, 1869.

. H. S. STEWART.

Witnesses FRANK BLOCKLEY, JAMES T. GRAHAM. 

